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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24659755">Ghost of Nottingham Castle</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/dumbassunderthemountain/pseuds/dumbassunderthemountain'>dumbassunderthemountain</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Robin Hood (BBC 2006), Robin Hood - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Ghosts, Horror</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 10:09:07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,866</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24659755</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/dumbassunderthemountain/pseuds/dumbassunderthemountain</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Guy is a ghost stuck in Nottingham Castle over the centuries and becomes quite taken with the new castle historian.</p><p>Formally under a different name</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Guy of Gisborne/Reader</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The Ghost of Nottingham Castle</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Summary: You are the castle historian for Nottingham castle in 2020 and there is a particularly handsome figure that has taken an interest in you. (Apparently Nottingham castle is a museum now, but is technically closed for remodelling or something)</p><p>Warnings: death, swearing, ghosts, murder</p><p>He remembered slipping away and dying in Robin Hood’s arms but his soul did not rest. He remained there underneath the Nottingham castle wandering where he could. The castle had been blown up, but then rebuilt. He wandered the halls every day, seeing sheriff after sheriff pass, and many others grow old and die in the castle. The fashions changed and less people came. Until they began moving many paintings and other new things into the castle. Much of the artwork was related to Robin Hood, they even erected two statues to the outlaw. The only thing that gave Gisborne joy in this unending afterlife was knocking down artwork of Robin Hood. The two may have parted as friends but that didn’t mean he could fuck with the arrogant outlaw from beyond the grave. He had been aimlessly drifting these halls for many centuries, though he did not know exactly how long, nothing about his existence ever changed. Until the day you walked into the castle wide eyed and smiling. </p><p>You were so excited to finally have a job where you actually got to use your degree. It wasn’t quite your dream job, that involved far less tourists but at least you weren’t a tour guide. The castle was beautiful and many of the halls were filled with paintings. You really loved working here. But quickly things did seem a little strange, especially when you had to stay late into the night. You had heard jokes about the ghost of a former Black Knight that roamed the halls knocking down pictures of Robin Hood but you never believed the stories. But now it always seemed to be out of place around you, with small little things left on your desk that you couldn’t find the home of and you almost always had the feeling that you were being watched. </p><p>Gisborne was completely taken with you. You were beautiful and kind. He wanted nothing more than to be with you, if only he had been born centuries later. He wanted to help you in your work you seemed so passionate about. He would move your books and pens doing his best to hand them to you, but he often failed. Moving objects in your world took much strength. If he ever found a trinket left behind by a tourist he would lay it on your desk, wanting to shower you in gifts but how could you have ever guessed they came from him. When he could he would even leave a flower on your desk. </p><p>One day another man came in and began flirting with you. He listened and learned that you believed the gifts were from him. Gisborne understood that receiving gifts from a ghost was rather unheard of, but when this man took credit for those gifts he lost his temper. He angrily stode over to the closest artwork of Robin Hood and threw it at the man’s head. </p><p>The man cursed as it hit his head, “Oh my God, Jason! Are you okay? Looks like you pissed off the ghost.” You giggled a bit after seeing that your flirtatious friend was alright. </p><p>“A ghost just threw a painting at me! What is wrong with you?” Jason yelled before storming off. Gisborne’s work was accomplished, he thought smiling smugly to himself.</p><p>Your co-worker, May walked over, “I think our ghost has a crush on you (y/n).” She joked. </p><p>“Is that even possible?” You laughed back heading up to your office with her. Gisborne wanted to scream at you that it was. He wanted you. Tonight he would show himself to you and declare his intentions he decided. </p><p>You kept glancing around the room. The presence and feeling of being watched were far stronger than normal. You were very thankful to the ghost though for making flirty Jason go away though. You figured based on how strong the chilly air was and the strong feeling of being watched was that the ghost was in the room with you. </p><p>“Um… thanks for getting that guy to go away Sir Ghost.” You awkwardly said looking around the room. </p><p>Gisborne’s eyes snapped up when you said his name before realizing it was just the slang for man. When he heard you call him Sir Ghost though he was elated. You were addressing him! He mustered all the energy he could and stood before you infront of your desk. </p><p>A mist began to appear in front of you. Your eyes shot up and you pushed yourself into your chair and as far away from the ghost as possible. Then a man in black medieval clothing stood before you smiling at you. You were terrified. So this was the famous Black Knight who had roamed the castle for 800 years. There had never been a report of people seeing him this closely before. You were pressed back in your chair in shock waiting for the ghost to disappear or do something. </p><p>Finally after a few seconds he did. You were absolutely terrified. You grabbed your bag and dashed as quickly as you could out of the castle. You would not be staying here after dark for some time. As you raced from the castle you could feel the eyes of the ghost against you, only making you run faster. </p><p>Gisborne hated himself for scaring you so much. He should have known that would happen. He is a ghost after all. It’s not like the relationship could work even if he didn’t scare you, he was dead after all. But he loved you. He wanted you. He could feel the spiritual connection. He needed you. Maybe you were the one that could release him from this hell, to save his soul, as he believed Marian could do so long ago. </p><p>He just had to apologize to you. He went out to the palace gardens and grabbed as many flowers as he could carry and laid them on your desk. He needed more than flowers though. He had to make you love him. Then he got an idea. He went below the castle to the place where he had died and found his old dagger. It seemed no one even knew this place existed yet. Maybe he would take you some day, but for now the gift of one of his most prized weapons from his life. </p><p>The next day you were wearily checking around each corner. The castle had a different much creepier air to it now. At the end of your work day you went to your office and were incredibly surprised by what you saw on your desk. There were so many flowers. You recognized them from the garden. For a moment you believed that flirty nuisance that the ghost chased off was back, but then you saw it. An old 12th century dagger, and an incredibly nice one at that. It must have cost a fortune when it was made. You wondered where it could have come from. It was in near perfect condition, as if it had remained untouched all these years.</p><p>Then something dawned on you. This was clearly from the era that the Black Knights would have been in power, meaning all the gifts you had been receiving were from the ghost. That was why he revealed himself to you last night. You had retracted in fear and for some reason he left you flowers and a dagger that most likely belonged to him in his life. It made you wonder where his body was, what part of the castle had you not found yet. </p><p>You looked around the room. You could feel a presence there with you. “Thank you, Sir Knight. I don’t know your name, sorry. And sorry I freaked out when I saw you last night.” You said looking around the room. Then mumbled to yourself, “How does this ghost stuff work, can he even hear me?” </p><p>“Yes.” A low voice said from just across your desk making you jump back. </p><p>You caught your breath with your hand over your heart. “You gotta stop scaring me like that. Can you tell me your name?” </p><p>There was a long silence. Gisborne had walked farther away from you half hiding himself behind the door before becoming visible. You gasped but were not as afraid this time. His partial transparency and the way that he glowed made it impossible to forget he was a ghost. He slowly walked towards you, stopping about three meters away and bowing. “I am Sir Guy of Gisborne. I was Sheriff Vaisey’s deputy, and one of Prince John’s Black Knights before defecting and joining with Robin Hood.” </p><p>You stared at him in shock for a few moments. “We believed Robin Hood was just a legend.”</p><p>Guy scoffed, “I wish, my life would have been much different without that thorn in my side.”<br/>
“I suppose that explains all the thrown artwork.” You say, sitting down. You still could not believe your eyes. The ghost just stared at you. “Um, where did this come from?” You asked, pulling out the dagger. </p><p>“It was mine for many years. Took some time to find it. It was lost in the explosion.” He said slowly approaching you. </p><p>You nodded your head. “Is that how you died?” You looked up at him then quickly added, “Sorry you don’t have to answer that. Delicate subject. I understand, sorry I asked.”</p><p>Gisborne smirked at you. “No, I was murdered by my sister and the sheriff then died in Robin Hood’s arms a few minutes before the explosion. Robin Hood died that same day. Though I do not know where. My sister killed him too.”</p><p>“Your sister sounds… awful” You say. </p><p>Gisborne smirked again and chuckled at you. “She was. She did die in the explosion. Thankfully her soul did not stay behind as mine did.” You opened your mouth to say something when one of your coworkers knocked on the door. Gisborne turned to mist and disappeared. </p><p>It was several days before you saw him again, besides a mist in the corner of your eye. About a week after you first spoke when you were leaving late at night you saw him again. He was leaning against a column smirking at when you rounded the corner. “Hello again.” </p><p>“Hello again, Sir Ghost of Gisborne.” You said returning his smirk. </p><p>“Would you like to see it? The secret area underneath the castle.” He said, smirking and gesturing you forward. </p><p>You smiled and let him lead the way. “Why have you revealed yourself after all these centuries? And why to me?” You quietly asked as you walked beside him through the halls. </p><p>Guy looked down at the ground for a few moments contemplating his words. “I am quite taken with you. I wished to know you more...and thought maybe with your help my soul could possibly be freed from this castle.” </p><p>“Oh,” was all you could think to say. You didn’t want to upset him, but you did not see how you could help him. Guy looked hurt by your reply. “I don’t know how to save you. And you’re a ghost and I’m... well, not.” </p><p>Gisborne smiled down at you. “I do not know how it would happen. I can just feel that you are my savior.” </p><p>That didn’t sound good considering you had no faith in yourself to actually be able to save him. Plus it had just occurred to you exactly what you were doing, following a ghost from an ancient evil organization down into a completely unknown part of the castle. But for some reason you kept walking beside him, though your fear was growing you could not stop yourself. </p><p>He led you through a hidden hallway and down a dark winding staircase. The fear in you should have been growing but for some reason it wasn’t. You felt almost safe in a trance next to him. Finally you had reached the underground chamber. You had to use your phone’s flashlight to see anything, but Gisborne seemed to know the way. Maybe his body was pulling his soul to him. The space was large and full of rubble. It seemed that nothing had been touched down here since the day Gisborne had died. You crawled over the many fallen stones deeper and deeper into the dark. </p><p>Suddenly Guy stopped and glided over to a sword. “My body is long gone. The sword here is all that is left of me. Please take it. But keep it as your own. Please I want it to be with someone who knew and cared for me, not something people in a museum mindlessly stare at.” He said picking it up and putting it into your hands. </p><p>You looked down at the sword then up into his grey eyes. “Thank you” you whispered. He was closer than ever before leaning down to you. Every cell in your body was torn on whether to run away or to embrace this ancient knight. The latter had won. Your lips full of life met his ghostly ones softly, they were soft and chilled and nearly misted away at the touch. As Gisborne pulled away slowly looking deep into your eyes you heard clapping. </p><p>Both of you snapped your eyes up staring off into the darkness. Next came the humming voice of a woman who did not sound friendly and the dragging of metal across the rubble stone. “What interesting and lively tastes you have brother.” She chuckled. </p><p>The air grew even colder as she approached. You could see her now, she was absolutely beautiful as she shined in her ghostly glow. But unlike her brother she was absolutely terrifying to behold. She was dragging a sword behind her and across her face an evil smile was spread. Gisborne took your hand pulling you behind him. Even he looked afraid, and angry. But based on what he had told you of his sister you could not blame him.</p><p>“Leave her alone.” He commanded towards her. </p><p>She only giggled. “Oh, but brother I am only trying to help you.” Before rushing for you with her sword. No one would ever find you down here.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Ghosts of Nottingham Castle</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Guy helping (y/n) come to terms with being a ghost</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Warnings: death, murder, ghosts, swearing</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>You awoke somewhere deep in the castle. ‘Did I accidentally fall asleep down here?’ You thought to yourself as you stood and walked toward the doorway Sir Guy had shown you the night before. </p><p>“(Y/n)! Wait!” The ghostly knight called from behind you, running up and grabbing your arm. Except this time his voice did not sound distant as it had before and he was solid, not the misty form he had always been before, and his touch was not cold. You stared down at his hand that was still clutching your arm in confusion. Guy looked pleadingly into your eyes. “Please, do not go out there right now. Wait. Please.”</p><p>“I have to go to work.” </p><p>“No...No you don’t. Your…” Guy trailed off looking extremely sad and troubled. He looked back at where you had awoken. </p><p>“Look, thank you for showing me this place. But I have to go back.” You pull out of his grip and suddenly you were in one of the main hallways of the castle. You didn’t remember how you got here, but you were tired. Probably just weren’t paying close attention. Yes, that must be it, you thought. </p><p>The castle was filled with people. You clearly had slept in much more than you had thought. No one seemed to notice you as you ran up to your office. You heard people talking inside and raced through the doorway apologizing for your lateness but no one looked at you or acknowledged you. Even stranger, your office was swarming with police officers.</p><p>You walked up to your coworker May and asked, “What’s with all the police officers?” Ignored again.</p><p>“Now Mrs. Nelson, you’re sure there’s no part of this castle she could still be trapped in? It’s very old, lots of corridors…” The oldest police officer questioned May. </p><p>“No. Unless there’s one we haven’t found yet. I’ve already shown you every single known centimeter of this castle.” May’s voice grew increasingly panicked as she spoke. </p><p>The officer sighed. “We’ll do another search but...may want to start looking for a new historian. It’s been a fortnight since Miss (l/n) was last seen and the security footage clearly shows she never left this castle.”</p><p>The officer's words made your heart sink in your chest. What did he mean a fortnight? You were right here! Standing right in front of him! You opened your mouth to speak but no words came out. What was going on? You were beginning to panic when you felt a hand gently placed on your shoulder. Turning around you saw Guy with eyes filled with concern. </p><p>“I’ll explain...come with me.” He said leading you out of your office and to the garden. </p><p>When you walked into the sunny castle gardens you expected to feel the sun warming your skin...but you didn’t, you felt...cold. Guy stopped in front of the largest rose bush and took both of your hands in his, looking deeply into your eyes.</p><p>“I...I am so sorry. I truly didn’t know Isabella was still here. I haven’t seen her in all the centuries I’ve been here. I thought it was safe. I only wanted to show you something I thought you would enjoy. I am so sorry.” Guy hung his head, unable to look at you. </p><p>“Guy I...I still don’t understand.”</p><p>“What do you remember? About that night? When I took you to where I died?”</p><p>“I...I remember...kissing you...and hearing some woman...and...am I...am I dead?” You choked out. At first you were only confused by his question, but now your head was spinning and panicking the more you remembered. </p><p>“I am so sorry. I never imagined…” </p><p>“You! You wanted me! You said so yourself! This! You!” You began to scream at Guy, ripping your hands out of his, processing that night. He had said he was ‘taken with you’ and that you would ‘save him’ maybe this was his plan all along. But no more words would form in your throat. You felt like you should be crying, you had just discovered you were dead after all, but no tears came, or at least you didn’t feel any. </p><p>“I wanted you alive!” He screamed back, a few people in the garden looked around curiously looking for where the noise came from. “I wanted you happy and alive...just knowing me...I thought that that may let me move on...to finally leave this Earth after being stuck in this God forsaken castle for centuries! And now, because Isabella we are both stuck here. I promise this was never my intention. I wanted...I thought maybe if I could get you to love me for years...I would be able to follow you into the afterlife...the true afterlife...not...never this… I am so sorry.” As he spoke his words grew quieter and more strained until you could barely hear him.</p><p>You nodded, still not able to look at anything but your own feet. “I...okay...I believe you.” </p><p>You heard Guy sigh in relief at your words. He moved closer to you reaching out for your cheek. “(y/n), I-”</p><p>“No.” You cut him off stepping away. “I...no...not now. I need… I...I need to be alone.” You say leaving Guy standing alone beside the rose bush. </p><p>“Don’t go down to your body!” He called after you. You turned and looked around at him confused. “Wait till it turns to bone.” Then you understood what he meant and nodded. Seeing your own decaying body was the last thing you needed. </p><p>You walked slowly around the castle, sadly looking at the place you would never be able to leave again. It seemed so much colder and crueler than ever before. After sometime you found yourself back in your office attempting to roll a pen across your desk. You didn’t know how long you sat there. All you knew is that it got dark, then light, then dark again over and over and still the pen did not move. </p><p>“It took me five years to move an object.” Guy’s deep voice came from the doorway. </p><p>“I thought I said I wanted to be alone.” You sadly replied without looking up.</p><p>“That was four days ago. Time can become...difficult when we’re like this.” </p><p>“You mean when you’re dead?” You horsley said. It had apparently been days but it was still so hard to admit to yourself.</p><p>“Yes.” He whispered, now he was just on the other side of your desk. </p><p>After some time you asked. “Are there any others? Ghosts I mean? Besides you, me, and your bitch of a sister.”</p><p>“Of course. A lot of people have died in this castle over its history. They just… It is not uncommon for them to get stuck or fade into whispers of their former selves. They never leave, they just...become hollow.”</p><p>“Will that happen to me?” You ask, finally looking up from your pen. </p><p>“No,” Guy walks over to beside you taking your hand. “No, not if I can help it.”</p><p>“But how do you know?”</p><p>“Because it has never happened to me. I’ve seen some become that within a few decades. I’ve been here for centuries.”</p><p>“So it’s your stubbornness.” You half heartedly tease. </p><p>Guy let out an airy chuckle. “Yes. Exactly. And that stubbornness, will not let anything happen to you again.” He ensured, cupping your cheek and looking deep into your eyes. </p><p>You sadly smiled at him. “Thank you.” You whispered. You hugged him then and to your now ghostly skin he almost felt warm as he stood there tightly holding onto you as if he were afraid you would slip away. </p><p>“What now?” You asked when you began to see the light of dawn streaming into the room. </p><p>“Whatever you want...Though I was hoping we could maybe...I read through some of your modern books in the gift shop and hope I am doing this correctly…” You leaned back to look at him, confused and curious at what he was about to ask. “I know it’s strange timing but...and I believe this is how it’s phrased, would you like to go on a date? With me?”</p><p>You giggled at his awkward asking. “I must admit, having a date in the afterlife is indeed strange timing. But yes, that sounds lovely.” </p><p>Guy beamed at you then looked out the window. “Sunrise on the roof?”</p><p>“Sounds wonderful” </p><p>And there you sat, on the roof of the tallest tower for what seemed to be every sunrise in the arms of your medieval black knight watching the world and the city of Nottingham age around you through the centuries.</p>
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